Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
No one is born with a stare like Vladimir Putin's. The Russian President's pale blue eyes are so cool, so devoid of emotion that the stare must have begun as an affect, the gesture of someone who understood that power might be achieved by the suppression of ordinary needs, like blinking. The affect is now seamless, which makes talking to the Russian President not just exhausting but often chilling. It's a gaze that says, I'm in charge. This may explain why there is so little visible security at Putin's dacha, Novo-Ogarevo, the grand Russian presidential retreat set inside a birch- and fir-forested compound west of Moscow. To get there from the capital requires a 25-minute drive through the soul of modern Russia, past decrepit Soviet-era apartment blocks, the mashed-up French Tudor-villa McMansions of the new oligarchs and a shopping mall that boasts not just the routine spoils of affluence like Prada and Gucci but Lamborghinis and Ferraris too. When you arrive at the dacha's faux-neoclassical gate, you have to leave your car and hop into one of the Kremlin's vehicles that slowly wind their way through a silent forest of snow-tipped firs. Aides warn you not to stray, lest you tempt the snipers positioned in the shadows around the compound. This is where Putin, 55, works. (He lives with his wife and two twentysomething daughters in another mansion deeper in the woods.) The rooms feel vast, newly redone and mostly empty. As we prepare to enter his spacious but spartan office, out walk some of Russia's most powerful men: Putin's chief of staff, his ideologist, the speaker of parliament—all of them wearing expensive bespoke suits and carrying sleek black briefcases. Putin, who rarely meets with the foreign press, then gives us 3 1/2 hours of his time, first in a formal interview in his office and then upstairs over an elaborate dinner of lobster-and-shiitake-mushroom salad, "crab fingers with hot sauce" and impressive vintages of Puligny-Montrachet and a Chilean Cabernet. Vladimir Putin gives a first impression of contained power: he is compact and moves stiffly but efficiently. He is fit, thanks to years spent honing his black-belt judo skills and, these days, early-morning swims of an hour or more. And while he is diminutive—5 ft. 6 in. (about 1.7 m) seems a reasonable guess—he projects steely confidence and strength. Putin is unmistakably Russian, with chiseled facial features and those penetrating eyes. Charm is not part of his presentation of self—he makes no effort to be ingratiating. One senses that he pays constant obeisance to a determined inner discipline. The successor to the boozy and ultimately tragic Boris Yeltsin, Putin is temperate, sipping his wine only when the protocol of toasts and greetings requires it; mostly he just twirls the Montrachet in his glass. He eats little, though he twitchily picks the crusts off the bread rolls on his plate. Putin grudgingly reveals a few personal details between intermittent bites of food: He relaxes, he says, by listening to classical composers like Brahms, Mozart, Tchaikovsky. His favorite Beatles song is Yesterday. He has never sent an e-mail in his life. And while he grew up in an officially atheist country, he is a believer and often reads from a Bible that he keeps on his state plane. He is impatient to the point of rudeness with small talk, and he is in complete control of his own message. He is clear about Russia's role in the world. He is passionate in his belief that the dissolution of the Soviet Union was a tragedy, particularly since overnight it stranded 25 million ethnic Russians in "foreign" lands. But he says he has no intention of trying to rebuild the U.S.S.R. or re-establish military or political blocs. And he praises his predecessors Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev for destroying a system that had lost the people's support. "I'm not sure I could have had the guts to do that myself," he tells us. Putin is, above all, a pragmatist, and has cobbled together a system—not unlike China's—that embraces the free market (albeit with a heavy dose of corruption) but relies on a strong state hand to keep order. Like President George W. Bush, he sees terrorism as one of the most profound threats of the new century, but he is wary of labeling it Islamic. "Radicals," he says, "can be found in any environment." Putin reveals that Russian intelligence recently uncovered a "specific" terrorist threat against both Russia and the U.S. and that he spoke by phone with Bush about it. What gets Putin agitated—and he was frequently agitated during our talk—is his perception that Americans are out to interfere in Russia's affairs. He says he wants Russia and America to be partners but feels the U.S. treats Russia like the uninvited guest at a party. "We want to be a friend of America," he says. "Sometimes we get the impression that America does not need friends" but only "auxiliary subjects to command." Asked if he'd like to correct any American misconceptions about Russia, Putin leans forward and says, "I don't believe these are misconceptions. I think this is a purposeful attempt by some to create an image of Russia based on which one could influence our internal and foreign policies. This is the reason why everybody is made to believe...[Russians] are a little bit savage still or they just climbed down from the trees, you know, and probably need to have...the dirt washed out of their beards and hair." The veins on his forehead seem ready to pop.
Every new parent knows how difficult it can be to get a fussy baby to sleep, but new research suggests that a parent's best efforts may only be exacerbating the problem — and that inadequate sleep in childhood can have long-lasting health effects. "It is very hard to let your child cry it out when they are toddlers," says Dr. Elsie Taveras of Harvard Medical School, referring to parents' tendency to pick up their children or bring them into the family bed to help them sleep. "But if you approach it differently — 'I am not even going to start my child making these sleep associations' — it's much easier to prevent [future problems]."
That point is central to a new study by Valérie Simard of Hôpital de Sacré-Coeur in Montréal, which examines the link between parents' bedtime behavior and sleep disturbances in children during infancy and early childhood. Simard administered yearly questionnaires to 987 parents, whose children were 5 months old at the start of the study. She found that certain "maladaptive" parental habits — such as the mother staying with the child until he or she fell asleep, or the parent giving a child food or drink upon nighttime awakening — appeared to develop in response to babies' early sleep difficulties, at 5 to 17 months of age. In turn, however, some of those calming strategies, which parents reported continuing to practice at 29 to 41 months, led to disrupted sleep — bad dreams, short sleep time and delays in falling asleep — in children of preschool age.
The findings, published in this week's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, suggest that bedtime behaviors that soothe infants don't always benefit older children. "Giving food or drink to the child may be an appropriate answer when he awakes at night during the first months of life," Simard says, "However, most often, children at 29 to 41 months do not wake up because they are hungry." According to Simard's study, children whose parents fed them when they woke up in the middle of the night at age three were more likely to have nightmares and short sleep times at age four.
Babies who grew accustomed to falling asleep with a parent in the room, being held until they fell asleep, or being taken into a parent's bed when they couldn't sleep were also more likely as older children to have trouble falling asleep and to sleep fewer hours during the night. "Co-sleeping with the child does not seem to be a good solution for comforting a child after night awakenings," Simard says. But that doesn't mean that children should be left to wail endlessly, or that parents should never console them. "It might be appropriate to be present in the room, comforting the child for a short time," Simard says. But it's most important "to let the child develop a capacity to comfort himself on his own."
The benefits of adequate sleep in infancy and childhood extend far beyond any single night of rest. According to a burgeoning body of research, children who don't sleep enough may be at risk for health problems later in life. Two additional reports, also appearing in the current issue of Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, suggest that children's sleeplessness may be associated with an increased risk of being overweight and having emotional and behavioral difficulties in adolescence and adulthood.
In one study of 915 children from 6 months to age 3, Harvard's Taveras found that infants who slept fewer than 12 hours per day — including naps — were nearly twice as likely as their peers to be overweight by age 3, potentially laying the foundation for childhood obesity. The risk for obesity was exacerbated by TV watching: 17% of children who slept fewer than 12 hours per night and watched two or more hours of television a day before age 2 were obese by age 3, compared with 9% of the study participants overall. "This is a perfect storm. Not sleeping enough and watching too much TV is a particularly hazardous combination in the toddler years," Taveras says. "There's room for prevention even in the first month of life," she says.
In another study of 2,076 children, psychologist Alice Gregory at the University of London followed participants for 14 years, starting when the kids were between 4 and 16 years old. She found that those who slept "less than others" — roughly fewer than 10 hours a night — according to their parents, were more likely than their peers to self-report high levels of anxiety, depression and aggression later, between the ages of 18 and 32. The implication, Gregory suggests, is that children who don't sleep enough may struggle to perform during the day, resulting in lowered self-esteem, along with other emotional consequences.
These findings are the latest in a growing field of study dedicated to understanding how sleep affects health, particularly in childhood. Increasingly, research suggests that long-term sleep-related problems may start as early as infancy, and that both pediatricians and parents need to do more to ensure that children develop healthy sleeping habits. "The most important message is that there's a lot we can do to prevent problems from starting — in sleep," says Taveras. "Parents and pediatricians should keep in mind that children have to develop the capacity to regulate their own sleep early in life and self-soothe themselves during the night."
To that end, Taveras offers a few simple steps for parents: "Go to sleep at the same time every night. Remove things that will create a lot of stimulation before sleep — don't put a TV in the child's room. These are proven sleep hygiene techniques that will hopefully translate to more hours of sleep."
In a recent television broadcast BBC commentator Brian Walden argued that Nelson Mandela, "perhaps the most generally admired figure of our age, falls short of the giants of the past." Mandela himself argues that "I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances." Clearly, a changing world demands redefinition of old concepts.
In the revolution led by Mandela to transform a model of racial division and oppression into an open democracy, he demonstrated that he didn't flinch from taking up arms, but his real qualities came to the fore after his time as an activist — during his 27 years in prison and in the eight years since his release, when he had to negotiate the challenge of turning a myth into a man.
Rolihlahla Mandela was born deep in the black homeland of Transkei on July 18, 1918. His first name could be interpreted, prophetically, as "troublemaker." The Nelson was added later, by a primary school teacher with delusions of imperial splendor.
La Dolce Vita
The southern region of Calabria may be the most depressed corner of an Italy in steady decline. The small town of Amendolara both defies and embodies Calabria's woes, victim of steep unemployment but held together by a generally well-run and corruption-free local government. Could Amendolara offer a recipe for change in Italy's troubled South?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Health Foundations & Medical Research
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Friday, April 11, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Cat Secrets Revealed - Cat Training and Care Packa
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Sunday, April 6, 2008
Davin DeGraw
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Saturday, April 5, 2008
Pre-School Is Essential for a Growing Baby
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Friday, April 4, 2008
Anchorman Sound - A Quick Summary and Review
With the average size of a home growing increasingly larger, the need for reliable intercom systems has grown exponentially over the past two decades. In a larger sized home you really have only two choices when talking to someone that is at the other end of it and the first choice is to shout at the top of your lungs and hope that the party you are attempting to contact hears you and the other choice is to use an intercom.
Anchorman is is the latest technology in home and business localized communications that is currently available on the market that offers multiple convenience features for maximum efficiency. The name Anchor has become synonymous with state of the art communications systems over the course of the past two decades and now with their new Anchorman system they have shot to the forefront of the industry with this new system that has set new standards in secure personal communications systems.
With the new and improved Anchorman communications system it is now possible to communicate with up to four separate communications belts simultaneously with predetermined frequencies to avoid any type of interference. This newer system also has two distinct range options with which you can communicate and they both are engineered to optimize operating features. This means that you can communicate with someone individually or communicate with several people at once depending on your particular needs.
As far as total rage is concerned this new system can broadcast and receive signals from as far as 2,500 feet away witch is just under a half a mile in distance. The fact is that if you are in the process of looking at personal communications systems then you would be well served to go with the best name in the business that also has the latest technology to offer or in short order you will find yourself with a system that is technologically obsolete and in need of replacement.
Anchorman is is the latest technology in home and business localized communications that is currently available on the market that offers multiple convenience features for maximum efficiency. The name Anchor has become synonymous with state of the art communications systems over the course of the past two decades and now with their new Anchorman system they have shot to the forefront of the industry with this new system that has set new standards in secure personal communications systems.
With the new and improved Anchorman communications system it is now possible to communicate with up to four separate communications belts simultaneously with predetermined frequencies to avoid any type of interference. This newer system also has two distinct range options with which you can communicate and they both are engineered to optimize operating features. This means that you can communicate with someone individually or communicate with several people at once depending on your particular needs.
As far as total rage is concerned this new system can broadcast and receive signals from as far as 2,500 feet away witch is just under a half a mile in distance. The fact is that if you are in the process of looking at personal communications systems then you would be well served to go with the best name in the business that also has the latest technology to offer or in short order you will find yourself with a system that is technologically obsolete and in need of replacement.
How to Combat Belly Fat By Eating More
If someone told you that you could eliminate your belly fat by eating more food, you would think they were losing their mind! Although it is hard to believe, it is in fact true. However, the catch is that you can't just eat anything you want.
What Foods to Eat
Eating more food actually stokes your metabolism but you have to choose the right fuel for your body and consume them at the appropriate times. The types of foods to include are lean proteins, good fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Stay away from all processed foods - anything man-made will hamper your progress.
When to Eat
You want to increase your food consumption to 5 or 6 small meals per day. Never skip breakfast because doing so will set your metabolism off on the wrong foot. Generally a day's meal plan would be as follows:
7am - Breakfast
9am - Healthy snack
12pm - Lunch
3pm - Healthy snack
5pm - Dinner
7pm - Healthy snack
You'll want to eat every 2 to 3 hours. Doing this will keep your body from going into starvation mode. When meals are skipped, the body doesn't know when to expect the next meal. This slows your metabolism and your body stores fat in order to keep from starving. This is why skipping meals, particularly breakfast, actually increases belly fat.
Eating more of the right kinds of foods throughout the day is your key to combating belly fat. Remember to stay away from processed foods, increase your physical activity, and incorporate strength training to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
Learn how to become a fat burning machine! Combat belly fat by eating the right foods at the right times and by using efficient, fat burning workouts you can do at home.
What Foods to Eat
Eating more food actually stokes your metabolism but you have to choose the right fuel for your body and consume them at the appropriate times. The types of foods to include are lean proteins, good fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Stay away from all processed foods - anything man-made will hamper your progress.
When to Eat
You want to increase your food consumption to 5 or 6 small meals per day. Never skip breakfast because doing so will set your metabolism off on the wrong foot. Generally a day's meal plan would be as follows:
7am - Breakfast
9am - Healthy snack
12pm - Lunch
3pm - Healthy snack
5pm - Dinner
7pm - Healthy snack
You'll want to eat every 2 to 3 hours. Doing this will keep your body from going into starvation mode. When meals are skipped, the body doesn't know when to expect the next meal. This slows your metabolism and your body stores fat in order to keep from starving. This is why skipping meals, particularly breakfast, actually increases belly fat.
Eating more of the right kinds of foods throughout the day is your key to combating belly fat. Remember to stay away from processed foods, increase your physical activity, and incorporate strength training to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
Learn how to become a fat burning machine! Combat belly fat by eating the right foods at the right times and by using efficient, fat burning workouts you can do at home.
What Amino Acid Can Separate Metallic Cations From Cholesterol?
How could plaque be broken up in Coronary Heart Diseased arteries?
What Is (CHD)?
Atherosclerotic Heart Disease, Coronary Heart Disease and also Coronary Heart Disease is the end result of the accumulation of a atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the muscles of the heart with oxygen and nutrients. Did you know that the most common cause for death of men and woman over 20 years of age is (CHD)? The most common cause of sudden death is coronary heart disease and it may not show ay definite signs or symptoms. Artherosclerotic heart disease consists of streaks that do not block the flow of blood. An indivdual can have (CHD), but doesn't show any sign evidence of the blood vessels changing in shape.
Over time the thickness of the plaque streaks may increase. In addition, these streaks can grow larger inside the walls of th arteries and through time will grow in the lumen of the vessel. plaque burden can be caused by a rupturing of the plaque causing an abundance of thrombus material. Did you know that an individual could develop symptoms of obstructive coronary heart disease after the plaque blocks more than 70% of the diameter of the vessel? In comparison, symptoms of (CHD) rarely show up in arterial blockages of less than 70%.
What Are The Risk Factors?
Hypertension
Smoking
Hyperglycemia (due to diabetes mellitus or otherwise)
Type A behavioral patterns
Hypercholesterolemia (LDL concentrations)
Hereditary differences in such diverse aspects as lipoprotein structure and that of their associated receptors, homocysteine processing/metabolism.
What Are The Indirect Risk Factors?
Diet low in antioxidants
Stress
Lack of exercise
Diet rich in saturated fats
What Is Oral Chelation?
Chelation is based on the observation that when a certain amino acid complex called EDTA comes into contact with certain positively charged metals and other substances such as lead, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, plutonium, iron, and manganese it grabs them. The EDTA actually grabs metallic cations such as calcium or lead (calcium and cholesterol form plaque within the blood vessels) and forms a compound that is then excreted from our system. As a result, oral chelation can break up plaque, which in turn can help to lower triglyceride levels and probably reduce (CHD) related problems.
As more information on coronary heart disease is discovered, I will update this article accordingly.
DISCLAIMER
The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practioner/ patient relationship with its readers.
What Is (CHD)?
Atherosclerotic Heart Disease, Coronary Heart Disease and also Coronary Heart Disease is the end result of the accumulation of a atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the muscles of the heart with oxygen and nutrients. Did you know that the most common cause for death of men and woman over 20 years of age is (CHD)? The most common cause of sudden death is coronary heart disease and it may not show ay definite signs or symptoms. Artherosclerotic heart disease consists of streaks that do not block the flow of blood. An indivdual can have (CHD), but doesn't show any sign evidence of the blood vessels changing in shape.
Over time the thickness of the plaque streaks may increase. In addition, these streaks can grow larger inside the walls of th arteries and through time will grow in the lumen of the vessel. plaque burden can be caused by a rupturing of the plaque causing an abundance of thrombus material. Did you know that an individual could develop symptoms of obstructive coronary heart disease after the plaque blocks more than 70% of the diameter of the vessel? In comparison, symptoms of (CHD) rarely show up in arterial blockages of less than 70%.
What Are The Risk Factors?
Hypertension
Smoking
Hyperglycemia (due to diabetes mellitus or otherwise)
Type A behavioral patterns
Hypercholesterolemia (LDL concentrations)
Hereditary differences in such diverse aspects as lipoprotein structure and that of their associated receptors, homocysteine processing/metabolism.
What Are The Indirect Risk Factors?
Diet low in antioxidants
Stress
Lack of exercise
Diet rich in saturated fats
What Is Oral Chelation?
Chelation is based on the observation that when a certain amino acid complex called EDTA comes into contact with certain positively charged metals and other substances such as lead, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, plutonium, iron, and manganese it grabs them. The EDTA actually grabs metallic cations such as calcium or lead (calcium and cholesterol form plaque within the blood vessels) and forms a compound that is then excreted from our system. As a result, oral chelation can break up plaque, which in turn can help to lower triglyceride levels and probably reduce (CHD) related problems.
As more information on coronary heart disease is discovered, I will update this article accordingly.
DISCLAIMER
The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practioner/ patient relationship with its readers.
Healthy Breakfast: The Most Vital Meal of the Day
Almost everyone wishes to stay healthy and live healthy. However living a healthy life requires major effort on your part. You will need to diet, you will need to exercise, and you will need to look out for yourself in order to be healthy. However, there is one thing that you can do that will contribute greatly to your health. That one thing is eating a healthy breakfast every day of your life, to start the day. It is essential for weight loss as well as for staying fit.
Most people unfortunately skip breakfast for sake of weight loss and sometimes to save time on their way to work. Actually, this is one of the worst things that you can do to your body. A research done by scientists indicated that when the body doesn’t start with a healthy breakfast, the metabolic rate will drop down considerably and thus this will also cause a spike in your blood sugar levels. This will also cause you to eat bigger meals and unhealthy snacks during the day and because your metabolism has reduced itself in the morning, you will be able to burn less calories. Thus, you will not only gain weight, but your body will also be thrown in an imbalance when you don’t eat breakfast.
However, eating breakfast will solve your problems greatly as your body will feel full and satisfied. Your metabolic rate will increase along with thermo genesis (the rate of energy burning by your body). Your blood sugar levels will balance out and you will not feel the craving for extra snacks and foods for 4-5 hours.
In any case, you should take care to eat a healthy breakfast. However, it will need to be balanced in order to be healthy. This means that a huge plate of scrambled eggs and lots of bacon is out of the picture. You should take care to eat things like fibers, proteins, and in general nutritious food. Here is a list of things that you can eat in order to make a health breakfast. In total, what you eat for breakfast should not be more than 2 or 3 servings
1. A bowl of cereal (whole grain).
2. A bowl of oatmeal.
3. An apple or an orange (or apple juice or orange juice).
4. Hardboiled egg (don’t fry them for health and weight loss purposes).
5. Skimmed Milk.
6. Low fat cheese.
7. Brown bread - toasted (never eat white bread).
8. Walnuts, pecans and any nuts in general.
9. Any raw vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, peppers etc.
10. A low fat protein shake or a nutrition shake.
11. A cup of tea with no sugar.
As you can see, a healthy breakfast is comprised of healthy food. Eating a balanced breakfast will also help you in your quest for losing weight. It will restore the balance of your body, so that you will not feel the need to eat snacks or huge meals during the day. Moreover, you will also feel better during the day, compared to people who skip breakfast.
Most people unfortunately skip breakfast for sake of weight loss and sometimes to save time on their way to work. Actually, this is one of the worst things that you can do to your body. A research done by scientists indicated that when the body doesn’t start with a healthy breakfast, the metabolic rate will drop down considerably and thus this will also cause a spike in your blood sugar levels. This will also cause you to eat bigger meals and unhealthy snacks during the day and because your metabolism has reduced itself in the morning, you will be able to burn less calories. Thus, you will not only gain weight, but your body will also be thrown in an imbalance when you don’t eat breakfast.
However, eating breakfast will solve your problems greatly as your body will feel full and satisfied. Your metabolic rate will increase along with thermo genesis (the rate of energy burning by your body). Your blood sugar levels will balance out and you will not feel the craving for extra snacks and foods for 4-5 hours.
In any case, you should take care to eat a healthy breakfast. However, it will need to be balanced in order to be healthy. This means that a huge plate of scrambled eggs and lots of bacon is out of the picture. You should take care to eat things like fibers, proteins, and in general nutritious food. Here is a list of things that you can eat in order to make a health breakfast. In total, what you eat for breakfast should not be more than 2 or 3 servings
1. A bowl of cereal (whole grain).
2. A bowl of oatmeal.
3. An apple or an orange (or apple juice or orange juice).
4. Hardboiled egg (don’t fry them for health and weight loss purposes).
5. Skimmed Milk.
6. Low fat cheese.
7. Brown bread - toasted (never eat white bread).
8. Walnuts, pecans and any nuts in general.
9. Any raw vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, peppers etc.
10. A low fat protein shake or a nutrition shake.
11. A cup of tea with no sugar.
As you can see, a healthy breakfast is comprised of healthy food. Eating a balanced breakfast will also help you in your quest for losing weight. It will restore the balance of your body, so that you will not feel the need to eat snacks or huge meals during the day. Moreover, you will also feel better during the day, compared to people who skip breakfast.
How Big is Your Belly?
Being overweight is bad for your health; there is no question about it. But research shows that where you store fat is more important than how much extra weight you are carrying. When it comes to your health, there is one place where fat is much more dangerous.
The most recent research on belly fat is that people who store it in their middle are nearly three times more likely to suffer from dementia in their 70s and 80s. Adding to that, belly fat also increases your risk for developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Researchers are still trying to figure out why belly fat is so dangerous to your health. Some doctors think it releases toxins associated with plaque buildup, and even thin people who have extra weight in the middle are at an increased risk for disease.
Genetics and lifestyle are to blame when it comes to your fat storage. Some people are more bottom-heavy (pear shape) and others carry weight around the middle (apple shape). You can easily find out if you are at risk just by measuring yourself. Simply get out a tape measure, exhale, relax and measure around your stomach. The bottom of the tape measure should be even with your hip bone. If you are a male, you should aim for less than 39 inches. Females should be less than 34.5 inches. The higher you are from these numbers, the more at risk you are.
If you realize that your waist is larger than it should be, losing weight around your middle will go a long way toward preventing disease. By losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight you can reduce the layer of belly fat by as much as 30 percent. The most successful approaches to weight loss include a reduced-calorie diet that is low in saturated fat and sugar and incorporates exercise.
Rachel Lukasavige is a Health Coach at Lukas Coaching. Visit www.lukascoaching.com/resources.htm for a ton of free tools to help you improve your health, finances, business, career & life!
www.lukascoaching.com
The most recent research on belly fat is that people who store it in their middle are nearly three times more likely to suffer from dementia in their 70s and 80s. Adding to that, belly fat also increases your risk for developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Researchers are still trying to figure out why belly fat is so dangerous to your health. Some doctors think it releases toxins associated with plaque buildup, and even thin people who have extra weight in the middle are at an increased risk for disease.
Genetics and lifestyle are to blame when it comes to your fat storage. Some people are more bottom-heavy (pear shape) and others carry weight around the middle (apple shape). You can easily find out if you are at risk just by measuring yourself. Simply get out a tape measure, exhale, relax and measure around your stomach. The bottom of the tape measure should be even with your hip bone. If you are a male, you should aim for less than 39 inches. Females should be less than 34.5 inches. The higher you are from these numbers, the more at risk you are.
If you realize that your waist is larger than it should be, losing weight around your middle will go a long way toward preventing disease. By losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight you can reduce the layer of belly fat by as much as 30 percent. The most successful approaches to weight loss include a reduced-calorie diet that is low in saturated fat and sugar and incorporates exercise.
Rachel Lukasavige is a Health Coach at Lukas Coaching. Visit www.lukascoaching.com/resources.htm for a ton of free tools to help you improve your health, finances, business, career & life!
www.lukascoaching.com
Effective Relationships Are The Key To Success And Prosperity
Some principles remain true down through the ages. Whether we cook over a fire or push a button on the microwave, the power of relationships is one of those principles. When fully understood, creating effective reflationships will open unimaginable doors for you.
Now I am not talking about networking as we understand that term today. I am talking about a delicate balance that requires extra effort to establish and maintain. Building relationships really is the key to your future success and prosperity.
Building solid relationships that stand the test of time is a necessity for several reasons. For example, in a group or organization, the success of each person depends on how efficient and effective the relationships within that group or organization function and how each relationship relates to the management of the organization.
The person who understands how to build and maintain effective relationships is the person who could run the organization one day in the near future.
On the one hand, being part of a group or organization that has not established solid relationships among its members can really be very frustrating. On the other hand, an effective group or organization may ask so much of their members, that sometimes the members would have no life outside the organization because they are forced to sacrifice all other aspects of their life just to meet deadlines. Organizations or groups with these kinds of scenarios are disfunctional and relationships can be stressed to the point of disintegration.
One only needs to watch The Apprentice with Donald Trump or some of the other reality shows for some good tips on how relationships should and should not function.
Society is defined as a web of relationships, which requires all parties to work and contribute their share in order to achieve a common goal. It's the time tested - "It's not what you know, it's who you know that counts." Creating relationships that are mutually beneficial, where cooperation and respect are required of both parties, will create a success environment that, eventually, will impact society for better or worse. Criminal enterprises are based largely on relationship as are athletic teams. One creates good, one does not but, in both, each member works for the good of the whole and towards achieving a common goal that will benefit all members of the group. This can only be achieved with effective and efficient relationships.
To get what you want you must first understand the needs of the other party to be in a position to craft an effective and efficient relationship. What is the easiest way to understand what is important to another party? Ask them what they want and listen to what they have to say. When the other party sees that you really want to know, they will give you all the information that you need to determine how you can create a solution that is beneficial to you as well as them.
Effective and efficient relationships require parties to openly and clearly express what they need and want out of forging the relationship. Never assume that the other party understands our needs and will just give us what we need, when we need it, without asking for it. You must not also assume that you know their needs lest you give up something you will later regret giving. It is a step by step process. The first step is to ask what they need and to make sure the other party knows exactly what you need by telling them so.
A key component to a successful relationship is mutual respect. This is grown through the process of open communication. We can show respect just by listening to the other party and by trying sincerely to understand how they think. A good tool is to listen first and summarize what they tell you by saying something like - "Let me make sure I have this straight. Are you saying you need me to.......?" Keep asking and listening and summarizing until you have a solid understanding of what the other party needs. By the same token, use this tool to clearly articulate your needs by saying something like - "So, if I can do........ for you, you can do ..............for me, right?"
Asking, listening, and summarizing will ensure there are no misunderstandings later and will start laying the foundation of respect on which you will begin building the relationship. If both parties carry out their parts of the bargain, the relationship can last for years and continue to provide benefits to both parties.
Another key area in forming an effective relationship is to tackle areas of disagreement openly. Disagreements between parties can be quite interesting. When five people see the same accident there will likely be five different versions told to the investigators. Each person sees the situation from their own perspective. If you can can see past the differences you are the one who can create a win-win solution for both parties.
When you acknowledge that the relationship is more important that the areas of disagreement, be the one to exert more time, effort and energy to understand the other party's problem areas and try to get it out of the way. Even if you fail, it demonstrates to the other party that you really want to establish a long term relationship that will be mutually beneficial.
Another key is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to informal discussions. This allows both parties to realx and bring out issues and concerns comfortably. Whay are so many business deals made on the golf course do you imagine?
When an informal location is not possible, develop an informal atmosphere right where you are. If in an office, make sure there are no obstacles like a desk or table between you and the other party. The key is making the whole process less threatening so the other party will express their feelings as if they are having an informal chat with a friend.
Relationships are important to anyone, addressing issues and problems right away is a must to further improve the relationship. Think long term in creating relationships. I have relationships that go back 20 years and more. These are people whom I may only talk with once a year but who are as close as the telephone and willing do me a favor without the expectation of anything in return because I will do the same for them when they need help.
That's what relationships are for.
Jim De Santis
Jim DeSantis is a retired broadcast journalist who edits The Relationhips Blog and the The Personal Challanges Blog where you will find free information related to this article.
Now I am not talking about networking as we understand that term today. I am talking about a delicate balance that requires extra effort to establish and maintain. Building relationships really is the key to your future success and prosperity.
Building solid relationships that stand the test of time is a necessity for several reasons. For example, in a group or organization, the success of each person depends on how efficient and effective the relationships within that group or organization function and how each relationship relates to the management of the organization.
The person who understands how to build and maintain effective relationships is the person who could run the organization one day in the near future.
On the one hand, being part of a group or organization that has not established solid relationships among its members can really be very frustrating. On the other hand, an effective group or organization may ask so much of their members, that sometimes the members would have no life outside the organization because they are forced to sacrifice all other aspects of their life just to meet deadlines. Organizations or groups with these kinds of scenarios are disfunctional and relationships can be stressed to the point of disintegration.
One only needs to watch The Apprentice with Donald Trump or some of the other reality shows for some good tips on how relationships should and should not function.
Society is defined as a web of relationships, which requires all parties to work and contribute their share in order to achieve a common goal. It's the time tested - "It's not what you know, it's who you know that counts." Creating relationships that are mutually beneficial, where cooperation and respect are required of both parties, will create a success environment that, eventually, will impact society for better or worse. Criminal enterprises are based largely on relationship as are athletic teams. One creates good, one does not but, in both, each member works for the good of the whole and towards achieving a common goal that will benefit all members of the group. This can only be achieved with effective and efficient relationships.
To get what you want you must first understand the needs of the other party to be in a position to craft an effective and efficient relationship. What is the easiest way to understand what is important to another party? Ask them what they want and listen to what they have to say. When the other party sees that you really want to know, they will give you all the information that you need to determine how you can create a solution that is beneficial to you as well as them.
Effective and efficient relationships require parties to openly and clearly express what they need and want out of forging the relationship. Never assume that the other party understands our needs and will just give us what we need, when we need it, without asking for it. You must not also assume that you know their needs lest you give up something you will later regret giving. It is a step by step process. The first step is to ask what they need and to make sure the other party knows exactly what you need by telling them so.
A key component to a successful relationship is mutual respect. This is grown through the process of open communication. We can show respect just by listening to the other party and by trying sincerely to understand how they think. A good tool is to listen first and summarize what they tell you by saying something like - "Let me make sure I have this straight. Are you saying you need me to.......?" Keep asking and listening and summarizing until you have a solid understanding of what the other party needs. By the same token, use this tool to clearly articulate your needs by saying something like - "So, if I can do........ for you, you can do ..............for me, right?"
Asking, listening, and summarizing will ensure there are no misunderstandings later and will start laying the foundation of respect on which you will begin building the relationship. If both parties carry out their parts of the bargain, the relationship can last for years and continue to provide benefits to both parties.
Another key area in forming an effective relationship is to tackle areas of disagreement openly. Disagreements between parties can be quite interesting. When five people see the same accident there will likely be five different versions told to the investigators. Each person sees the situation from their own perspective. If you can can see past the differences you are the one who can create a win-win solution for both parties.
When you acknowledge that the relationship is more important that the areas of disagreement, be the one to exert more time, effort and energy to understand the other party's problem areas and try to get it out of the way. Even if you fail, it demonstrates to the other party that you really want to establish a long term relationship that will be mutually beneficial.
Another key is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to informal discussions. This allows both parties to realx and bring out issues and concerns comfortably. Whay are so many business deals made on the golf course do you imagine?
When an informal location is not possible, develop an informal atmosphere right where you are. If in an office, make sure there are no obstacles like a desk or table between you and the other party. The key is making the whole process less threatening so the other party will express their feelings as if they are having an informal chat with a friend.
Relationships are important to anyone, addressing issues and problems right away is a must to further improve the relationship. Think long term in creating relationships. I have relationships that go back 20 years and more. These are people whom I may only talk with once a year but who are as close as the telephone and willing do me a favor without the expectation of anything in return because I will do the same for them when they need help.
That's what relationships are for.
Jim De Santis
Jim DeSantis is a retired broadcast journalist who edits The Relationhips Blog and the The Personal Challanges Blog where you will find free information related to this article.
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